<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Bruises by faith_alexis</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26177080">Bruises</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/faith_alexis/pseuds/faith_alexis'>faith_alexis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bughead Oneshots [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Riverdale (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abused Jughead Jones, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Bad Parent FP Jones II, Bad Parent Gladys Jones, Bad Parenting, Betty Cooper Loves Jughead Jones, Child Abuse, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Good Parent Alice Cooper (Archie Comics), Hurt Jughead Jones, Jughead Jones Needs a Hug, Protective Alice Cooper (Archie Comics), Worried Betty Cooper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:21:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,370</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26177080</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/faith_alexis/pseuds/faith_alexis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>FP fails Jughead in more ways than possible but Alice will never fail him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alice Cooper &amp; Betty Cooper, Alice Cooper &amp; Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper &amp; Jughead Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bughead Oneshots [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1901134</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bruises</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">Narrator's PoV</span>
</p><p>Let's just say Jughead didn't have the nicest nor caring parents. Only he knew the pain he endured. And it stayed like that for a long time.</p><p>Ever since Jughead had been little he'd been quiet. Never cried in front of others. Too some he'd be seen as strong but only he knew the stories his broken eyes told.</p><p>It was never this bad before his mother left. Well that's what he tells himself.</p><p>
  <span class="u">Alice's PoV</span>
</p><p>I watch Betty and Jughead play in the backyard. Being friends with FP from highschool meant that sometimes I'd pick Jughead up from daycare when he was too busy. Of course I don't mind doing it, he is a really sweet kid.</p><p>I watch as Betty giggles as Jughead flies a paper airplane near her ear. Then I watch him trip upon a lump of turf and fall onto his front. I run straight to him but I'm shocked too see he doesn't cry. Betty would have been wailing but he just brushes of the mud on his grass stained trousers and stares at the crumpled plane in his hand. He looks dissapointed but doesn't cry.</p><p>"You ok, honey?" I ask him</p><p>"I....I ruined the plane. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I'll fix... it." He looks on the verge of tears but they don't fall. I just watch as his tiny fingers fumble to refold it but it is too badly ripped to work.</p><p>"Hey, don't worry about it. I'll fix it" He hands it to me but just then I hear the doorbell ring.</p><p>"Time to go Jug"</p><p>He looks at his jeans then up to me. And gulps.</p><p>"Ok.." He waves goodbye to Betty as I grap his bag of the countertop and walk him to the door.</p><p>"Hi FP" I greet as I open the door to him.</p><p>He just grabs Jughead and leaves grumbling a thanks.</p><p>
  <span class="u">Jughead's PoV</span>
</p><p>I get in my dad's truck. He is obviously mad at me for something. I just don't know what.</p><p>"Jughead why are your jeans dirty?" He seems really mad now.</p><p>"I...tripped" I knew not to anger him more than he was now. I didn't want hurting again.</p><p>"Why are you so fucking clumsy?!! The stains are not going to come out you know. God you're fucking stupid!" He shouts angrily as he pulls up to the trailer.</p><p>I stumbled out the truck as he gives me a slap round the back of the head and drags me in by the scruff of the neck to the trailer.</p><p>~10 years later~</p><p>Dad hit me really hard this time. Well multiple times. He told me to get out of the trailer so I go to the a place in town which I love.</p><p>
  <em>Pop's</em>
</p><p>I walk in immedietley smelling the scent of vanilla and grease. I set my self down at my usually booth as Pop's is quite empty for once.</p><p>I grimaced when the bruises on my torso started to ache. I was about to pull out my notepad when I hear the bell chime. I look up to see Alice Cooper sauntering through the diner and to the collection point.</p><p>She locks her eyes with mine and walks to my booth. She quickly notices the bruise on my cheekbone and raises her eyebrows in concern.</p><p>"What happened to your cheek and why are you here so late?"</p><p>"Oh I slipped in the shower and banged it on the wall." I smiled. Of course that wasn't true but I wasn't about to tell Mrs. Cooper that.</p><p>"And why are you here so late?"</p><p><em>Shit. </em>"I just wanted to go on a little walk to clear my head. I'm going back soon just wanted to drop in and get some writing done."</p><p>"Well the trailer park is on the way home so I'll drop you back so you don't get beaten or kidnapped by someone. Okay?"</p><p><em>Only if you kne</em>w.</p><p>"Okay. Thankyou" I stood up and walked out the diner into Alice's car.</p><p>After a while she spoke up.</p><p>"You know? I've never seen you cry. Not even when you were little. It shocks me a bit as I am normally the one making the child cry" She chuckles along with me while I give a few nods.</p><p>"Okay we're here" I checked infront of me and she was correct. We were at the trailer.</p><p>"Thankyou for driving me home. I'll see you soon" I said as I scurried out the car.</p><p>I fished out my key from my pocket and carefully unlocked the door. My dad seems to be in his bedroom because he isn't in the living room. So I lay down on the sofa and try to get in a painless position before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.</p><p>~1 year later~</p><p>I enter the trailer one hour past curfew. I hope to god dad is passed out drunk. I can't take another beating.</p><p>But of course I have no saviour and my wishes don't come true when I see him sitting at the kitchen table tapping his foor impatiently on the floor.</p><p>"Where the fuck have you been?!"</p><p>"I...was at s-school"</p><p>"Don't fucking lie to me boy?!" He says as he stands up and pins my against the trailer.</p><p>I clench my eyes shut. As I feel his hand restrict more around my throat. He punches me in the stomach then swings at my face. Then alternates between the two.</p><p>"SOMETIMES YOU JUST PISS ME OFF JUGHEAD!" He screams in my face. My legs are weak due to the lack of food, so when he realease his vice grip on my neck. I crumble to the ground.</p><p>His boot flies towards my stomach. I can feel wet on my forehead. All of the sudden I hear his belt unbuckle and fear engulfs my entire body. He's never done this before. He's never got this bad that he has belted me. I scream as the belt lashes down onto my back. I feel the leather slice throught my tender skin. After what felt like hours of torture he slowed and forced me up. He shoved his finger into my chest and spat at me.</p><p>"GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE AND NEVER COME BACK. NEVER. And if you do. It'll make this look like walk in the park. Got it?" He said with a sinister grin shoving his finger into my chest again.</p><p>I nodded as a silent tears ran down my face. I picked up my school bag and fled out the door. My whole body felt drained. I couldn't stay at Pop's looking like this. I'm pretty sure he'd call the police. So I go to the one woman I can still trust.</p><p>
  <span class="u">Alice's PoV</span>
</p><p>I hear the bell ring at 6 o'clock and I walk to the door. I open the door catiously making sure it isn't a murderer. What I did not expect to see was Jughead Jones looking like he was about to die. And crying.</p><p>He throws his arms around me as he just holds me in a hug. Big heavy sobs are wracking his body. I go to rub his back but when I see strips of blood against the back of his flannel, I decide against it.</p><p>"Jughead, what happened?" I breathe in disbelief.</p><p>"I-I can't t-take it a-anymore. All h-he does is hurt m-me. Please don't m-make me l-l-leave" He stuttered making my heart break into pieces.</p><p>"How long has this been happening?"</p><p>I feel him tense and pull away. "It used to be the occasional slap or punch, but he's g-gotten so much worse."</p><p>I walk him to the couch and just cradle him in my arms as he cries. I slightly rock him. Only then can I feel how small he really has become. I feel his bones poke out.</p><p>"When was the last time you ate Jughead?"</p><p>"E-erm a couple of days ago. I went to go job hunting today. S-so i can afford my own food. I wasn't s-successful and I missed curfew because of it."</p><p>"Will you be ok here if I go make you something?" I asked knowing I was going to anyway.</p><p>"No Mrs. Cooper, it's fine. I just wanted to ask if I'd be able to s-stay here till I can get a job and work something out. I'll be out of you hair in a month or less" He mumbled out as he was getting worked up.</p><p>"Jughead you're 15. You don't need to be getting a job. You can stay here for as long as you'd like. So how about you go get washed up in the family bathroom and by the time you're done. Dinner will be ready. I'll also tell Betty to join us she'll be happy you're here"</p><p>His jaw was wide open.</p><p>"You mean it?" He said as a fresh set of tears welled up in his eyes.</p><p>"Yes. Now go have a nice shower" I laughed as he almost bounded up the stairs.</p><p>
  <span class="u">Jughead's PoV</span>
</p><p>I felt the hot water run down my body as it stung the cuts on my back. The bruises seemed to relaxed from throbbing under the warm temperature. My mind faded into a blank yet trauma filled abyss. I could have told someone when it started. I could have stopped it from getting to this point. I could have-</p><p>No.</p><p>I caught myself in my thoughts. He did this. No matter how many hatred filled words got spat at me or backhands I got. I made the promise that, no matter how bad it got, I wouldn't blame myself. This wasn't my fault.</p><p>Yeah sometimes I come home a couple minutes past curfew but I like to think I'm not a bad person. Archie has done way worse and I have seen how his dad has reacted. So maybe my father is the bad person.</p><p>*knock knock*</p><p>"Jughead, dinner will be ready in 5" Alice's voice sounded.</p><p>"Thankyou!" I shouted back through the door.</p><p>I quickly hopped out of the shower and wrapped myself up in a warm towel and continued to put on some clean clothes that Alice layed out for me from Hal's draw.</p><p>I made my way downstairs to see a table full of food. My eyes filled with excitement.</p><p>"Choose whatever you want. I'm going to shout down Betty" Alice said.</p><p>"Thankyou so much. How can I ever repay you?"</p><p>"Nonsense just eat up. It's my pleasure"</p><p>I slowly started to eat the food. Making sure to saviour the flavour. I haven't had something this good in years.</p><p>I heard Betty come rushing down the stairs towards the dining table.</p><p>"Jug?" She asked in disbelief.</p><p>"Hey Betty" I said nervously.</p><p>"How come your here?" She asked curiously but with an upbeat tone.</p><p>I shrugged not wanting to talk about it, which immediately tugged on my bruised ribs making me wince.</p><p>"Woah, are you ok?" She asked coming to my side and placing her hand on my shoulder.</p><p>Alice quickly came over. "Jughead will be staying with us from now on." She said while looking between me and Betty.</p><p>"Is everything ok?" Betty asked. I could already tell she was going to be a great journalist.</p><p>"Yes, he has just run into a bit of trouble at home and I'd think it would be best if he lived with us. Now sit and eat"</p><p>Throughout the meal. My ribs kept acheing and it only seemed to get worse. Alice seemed to notice as at the end of the meal she came to me when I was getting up.</p><p>"Hun, I think we should go to the hospital you seem in a lot of pain. I think we should make sure if anything is broken."</p><p>The idea of that frightened me.</p><p>"I-I can't go to hospital. I don't have any insurance and then they'll ring my d-dad which means they'll either send me back to live with him or I'll get put into c-care" I started to shake. I don't think I'd survive either way.</p><p>"Look I'm fine" I said picking up the plates and walking to the sink to get washing them up. When suddenly my arm swung and hit a glass making it shatter and fall.</p><p>I quickly started to panic. I always mess things up. I crumble to the ground sobbing into by hands.</p><p>Alice quickly rushed over to me and placed her hands on either side of my shoulders. "Hey, listen to me. Breathe. Yeah that's it breathe with me."</p><p>
  <span class="u">Alice's PoV</span>
</p><p>"I'm sorry Alice. I've already started to ruin things. I-It's better if I leave now."</p><p>"Jughead?" I asked.</p><p>"Y-yeah"</p><p>"Stay" That is all I needed to say. The suttle nod in reply was enough reassurance that he'll stay with us.</p><p>"Jughead come here!!" Betty yelled from the top of the stairs in excitment.</p><p>"Go play kiddo." I chuckled as he ran up the stairs.</p><p>FP really made him lose trust in everybody and it saddens me because when we were in high school he promised he'd never, hit his kid like his dad hit him. We all saw how it made FP. The way he became cornered off. How he lost touch with us and how broken he looked. And now he passed the same grief onto his boy.</p><p>I may not have done much to help FP but I won't make the same mistake by letting Jughead slip through the cracks.</p><p>This boy, selfless, kind hearted and sweet. Carrying the weight of the world on his back. The boy that never asked for anything in return for his tokens of kindness, lived in fear. Needing someone to hold, some stability in his life.</p><p>I like to think that Gladys didn't know about the abuse before she left. I'd like to think she didn't know she left her boy in pain and agony. Well I would have wanted her to know, but I don't think she wouldn't have left without him if she'd known. Would she?</p><p>I'm going to love protect him from now on. <br/>
That is what this boy deserves.<br/>
That is what Jughead deserves.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi this is my first work on A03! For more Bughead angst and fluff click onto my page or read my 'Bughead Oneshots' on wattpad<br/>wattpad username: xfaithbx<br/>Stay safe, love you all Xx</p><p>Kudos are appreciated :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>